Bac honors bonus 2026 : financial aid and rewards
You’ve just earned your baccalaureate with great results and you’re wondering whether your hard work can give you a real financial boost to start your first year of higher education? Between bank offers, the State merit scholarship and support from local authorities, many forms of financial aid are available to 2026 graduates.
This guide reviews the existing schemes, eligibility criteria, the amounts awarded, and the steps to follow to submit your application without hassle. Whether you studied in the general, technological or vocational track, the process to receive these bonuses is broadly the same. Also remember to plan ahead for your student housing search anywhere in France for the start of term.
Key takeaways
- Banks such as CIC, Société Générale and La Banque Postale offer bonuses ranging from €40 to €160 to graduates.
- The State provides a merit scholarship of €900 per year to grant-holders who earned Très Bien (High Honors) in the baccalaureate.
- Local authorities (town halls, departments, regions) offer bonuses that can reach €1,000.
- These aids can be combined to help fund your move, studies or internships.
What is the bac honors bonus?
The bac honors bonus for 2026 is a reward paid to graduates who obtained an honors grade, an average of 12/20 or higher. Its purpose is to recognize academic effort and help with the transition to higher education.
On the one hand, there is the merit scholarship (aide au mérite), paid only to graduates who earned Très Bien (average from 16/20). It is not automatic: you must also already be a needs-based grant recipient and enroll in higher education the following academic year. The amount is €900 per year, paid in 9 monthly installments of €100, at the same time as the needs-based grant, for up to 3 years via CROUS. That’s a total of €2,700 over 3 years if everything goes smoothly (no repeating a year, otherwise the bonus is stopped).
On the other hand, there are honors bonuses in a broader sense, available from Assez Bien (from 12/20). These are not paid by a single institution: they come from banks looking to attract new young customers and sometimes from local authorities (town halls, regions, departments).
💡 Note: If you need to go through the bac retake/oral catch-up exams to obtain your diploma, these bonuses remain available once you pass, regardless of the session unlike the merit scholarship, which is reserved for those who pass in the first round.
The different honors grades and their benefits
Assez Bien (12 to 14/20): it rewards consistent work and a solid school record, but does not unlock the State merit scholarship. However, it already gives access to certain bank bonuses and some local aids.
Bien (14 to 16/20): your efforts throughout the year and revision period are recognized with higher amounts. Banks offer larger bonuses, and some departments provide an additional one-off allowance.
Très Bien (from 16/20): this is the threshold to qualify for the national merit scholarship (if you are a grant recipient), as well as the highest bank and regional bonuses.
Jury congratulations (from 18/20): there is no specific additional State bonus beyond the Très Bien bracket, but some municipalities offer exceptional rewards.
Bonuses offered by banks
Every summer, several banks run offers to attract new graduates. Not all of them require an honors grade:
- CIC: through its “Mentions Bac” campaign, the bank pays a savings-account bonus depending on the honors grade: €40 (Assez Bien), €80 (Bien) and €160 (Très Bien), upon presentation of your grade transcript. The offer is valid until 30 September 2026.
- Société Générale: a fixed €60 bonus, with no honors requirement, for holders of a Sobrio or Jazz offer, to be claimed before 10 September 2026.
- BNP Paribas: the bank does not offer a bac-specific bonus tied to honors, but it does offer an €80 welcome bonus for a first account opening (Esprit Libre Initiative offer), regardless of honors grade.
- La Banque Postale: €50 for anyone holding a level 3 or 4 diploma (CAP, BEP, bac, BP), with no honors requirement, until 30 September 2026.
| Bank | No honors | Assez Bien (Pass with Honors) | Bien (Honors) | Très Bien (High Honors) | Special condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIC | €0 | €40 | €80 | €160 | Requires opening a CIC savings account |
| Société Générale | €60 | €60 | €60 | €60 | Must hold a Sobrio or Jazz account |
| BNP Paribas | €80 | €80 | €80 | €80 | First-time account opening (Esprit Libre Initiative offer) |
| La Banque Postale | €50 | €50 | €50 | €50 | Reserved for children of existing customers, limited to 10,000 beneficiaries |
⚠️ Always check the terms directly with each bank before applying.
💡 Tip: you can contact several banks to combine these bonuses, as long as you check account maintenance fees for each new account.
The State merit scholarship
The merit scholarship is an additional grant managed by CROUS. It supports top-performing graduates with limited financial resources.
Eligibility conditions:
- Have earned Très Bien in the baccalaureate.
- Be a recipient of a needs-based grant (validated Student Social File / DSE).
- Enroll in a higher education institution in the year immediately following the bac.
Amount: €900 for the 2026–2027 academic year, paid in 9 monthly installments of €100 from October to June, in addition to the needs-based grant. It can be received for up to three years of study. You can also consult the official Service-Public.fr information sheet.
💡 Advice: no additional step is required beyond the DSE. The rectorate forwards the list of Très Bien graduates directly to the relevant body.
How to get your bac honors bonus : the steps
Follow these steps in order:
- Get your official grade transcript as soon as bac results are released.
- Gather the documents: ID, bank details (RIB), proof of income and/or CROUS grant notice.
- Submit your request at your bank branch or via your town/region’s online form.
- Track the payment into your account or savings account.
Watch deadlines: banks usually close bac offers at the end of September, while local authorities may set deadlines ranging from September to November.
Can you combine multiple bac bonuses?
Yes, combining them is allowed. For example, for a grant-holding student who earned Très Bien:
- CROUS merit scholarship: €900
- Regional bonus: €300 to €1,000
- Town-hall reward: up to €200
- Bank bonus: €160
In total, the student could receive over €1,500 in combined aid for the first year of study, enough to pay for equipment, internships or a first rent payment.
Other financial aid for new graduates
Beyond honors-related bonuses, other schemes support students throughout their studies. The CROUS needs-based grant remains the main support for families with limited resources: its amount depends on household income and composition, and it is often the prerequisite for receiving the merit scholarship. In addition, CAF provides housing assistance (APL) to reduce the cost of student accommodation.
Private foundations and training institutions may also offer scholarships to support committed students, and they often share guidance on finding an internship or first professional experience. If you’re also considering programs outside Parcoursup, note that these bonuses remain valid regardless of the admissions route. Check each year whether you may qualify for additional support, as criteria can evolve.
FAQ: Common questions about the bac honors bonus
Any graduate with an average of at least 12/20 can be eligible for a bank bonus, a supplementary scholarship or local aid depending on the situation. Bank bonuses are generally the most accessible because they usually do not depend on your financial resources. The State merit scholarship and some regional bonuses, however, are reserved for grant-holders who earned Très Bien.
You can start as early as July, with your grade transcript, by contacting your bank or applying via your local authority’s website, generally before the end of September. For the CROUS merit scholarship, no application is required: it is awarded automatically if your DSE is validated. It’s best not to wait, as each bank and local authority has its own deadlines.
CIC, Société Générale, BNP Paribas and La Banque Postale offer schemes for new graduates, alongside CROUS and several regional councils. CIC is among the most generous for honors grades, with a bonus up to €160 depending on the honors earned. Other regional networks (Crédit Mutuel, Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Épargne) may also run local offers, check directly with your local branch.
Up to €160 via banks, €900 via CROUS, and up to €1,000 from certain regions. The highest amounts are typically reserved for Très Bien and, often, for grant recipients. Combining several schemes rather than relying on just one is what makes the total truly meaningful.
Yes: bank bonuses, the CROUS merit scholarship, needs-based grants and CAF housing support can all be combined. They are managed by different bodies (banks, the State, local authorities, CAF) and therefore do not exclude one another. Stay mindful of the specific conditions of each offer : some banks may limit the bonus to one claim per beneficiary.
